The Mausam actor revealed to Simi Garewal that he finds her desirable

Shahid Kapoor may keep mum about Priyanka Chopra, but he has no problems admitting to his fantasy love interest. The actor admitted to Simi Garewal on her chat show Simi Selects India’s Most Desirable that he secretly adores Scarlett Johansson. On being asked whom he thinks has redefined their status as to become a symbol of desirability, he said, “Scarlett Johansson is extremely desirable. She is the one woman who I think I love. The mature kind.” On being asked if he could fall in love with a simple ordinary girl he said, “I think the best thing for an actor is to date an ordinary simple girl because it kind of brings back a certain amount of normalcy into your life. I think it would be great for an actor to date somebody who is not from the film industry. I think it kind of opens your horizons but the chances of that happening are very limited.” We wonder what Priyanka has to say about that!

Shahid Kapoor dropped by at DNATuesday afternoon.A sunny yellow Tee and an equally sunshiny grin to combat any wet weather blues that might be pervasive around the office. He is a celebrity known for his tight reserve, his control — preferring such a diplomatic stance most times that many movie scribes privately dub him ‘too politically correct’.

Tuesday though, contrary to his no-frills approach, he was in his element. He laughed, he quipped, he regaled the ladies in the room with flirtatious banter — and all through looked as though he was enjoying himself.

Sample:

DNA: What do you think of men’s fashion? Shahid: I hardly have any understanding of it.

DNA: You won the best dressed actor for the DNA After Hrs Style Awards last year.Shahid: Of course I understand fashion! (laughing)

DNA: What’s with you and the hoods?Shahid:Yaar, main baal ugaa raha hu. Toh, I just use the hood to put them back.

DNA: Torn jeans?Shahid:Maine kam kar diya hain, dekh. A lot of people told me that they see me in the same pair of jeans everywhere. I’m working on it, man, I’m working on it — under Sonam’s (Kapoor) advice. That there is more to life than torn jeans and tee-shirts.

DNA: Is Sonam taller than you?Shahid: No Sonam is not taller than me but I think when she wears these 3 inches heels she becomes taller. Bahut lambi hai yaar…!

In his casual banter, Shahid revealed some intimate facets — that he’s an insomniac, that he has a Golden Retriever called Kaiser who he adores, that co-piloting an F-16 made him lose inhibitions, it was that ‘extreme’.

He artfully dodged the one question we’re all wishing he would come clean on, though: What’s his relationship status? To that, Shahid’s rejoinder: Main khud nahin jaanta mera kya status hain. Even on Facebook my status is ‘Confused’… ‘It’s Complicated’!

That answer, though non-committal, charmed the room, as he knew it would. We don’t know if you let your guard down with us, or if it was a carefully studied performance, all the comic repartee and easy vibes — but act or fact, Shahid, it was a treat to laugh with you!

Actor Shahid Kapoor revealed some of his intimate secrets to DNA when he visited the office. Excerpts from the interview..

You like music?I love house music. I obviously listen to a lot of Hindi music, usually not my own films because by the time it’s ready you’ve heard it so many times and you’re quite tired of it. Ummm, right now it’s Pitbull. I listen to energetic music in the mornings

What’s your fave pastime?I enjoy chilling with my dog.I have a golden retrievercalled Kaiser — named after the German King. Nothing to do with that though (laughs). As a kid, I used to have this family friend who used to breed dogs. He had a black Doberman, he was huge and used to lick my face. And that’s the strongest memory I have of a dog. So I always wanted to have a dog named Kaiser.

You are young, talented, successful… Is there anything that you miss in life?I live alone. I don’t like that. So that’ll be the one thing I’d say I want to change.

You want to marry, y’mean?That’s a bit extreme. (laughs) Maybe I’d start up with finding someone who I like enough.

And what kind of girl would you like to marry?Anyone who is able to handle me yaar.

Are you tough to handle?I’m sure I’m tough to handle.

You’ve imbibed acting from your father (actor-director Pankaj Kapur) and dancing from your mother (Neelima Azim)… what is it that you are more comfortable with?I love both equally, very difficult for me choose. (pauses and thinks) well very difficult. Maybe there is a lot more to discover as an actor than as a dancer since I have trained professionally in dance, but as an actor I’ve had no professional training. Though I think even as a dancer I can learn a lot more but the desire to learn as an actor is probably much more.

How does your dad feel about your work?He’s very kind, ya. So he praises most of my performances, though I’m sure in his head he’s be thinking what the hell is he doing (laughs). And I think the biggest compliment is that he choose to cast me in the first film that he’s directing, Mausam. And my father is a thorough professional — he’d never cast me unless he feels I’m good enough to fit the role.

How much does the co-actor matter in picking a movie?In decision making not at all. But when you are performing with somebody the afct that they are good actors really help. Coz I don’t think that an actor is an island. I think any scene/performance of mine that people might have liked is as much…. what the co-actor has done or the rest of the team has done — is as much a part of that achievement as my work is.

So who is the one co-star you are most compatible with?Right now Sonam.

You are one of the best dancers in the country but you’ve taken a form which is very different from your mom?She’s always very insecure. Tu kathak mat seekhna. Learn a dance form which is more boyish. But I think whatever I am as a dancer is because of her. It’s running in my blood.

Does she like your work?My mom is a bit biased towards me she likes everything about me. That’s a bit of a problem. I keep telling her to criticise me a little. But then dad covers up... he’spretty critical of me.

You were planning a flash mob?Yeah, we were planning to do a flash mob in New York. But then this hurricane Irene had hit the place so there was flash floods and no flash mobs.

Would you want to do a dance-based reality TV show?I have been offered. I’d want to do something in TV that excites me, something new and different. Yes, I love dancing, so if it were something associated with dancing I’d love it. A lot of these reality shows however I think are totally crappy and are leading people into wrong directions.

You flew in a F16. Are you planning to take it further?I want to. I’m really keen on the idea. And after the flight on F16, I have lost all inhibitions I had. It is just extreme. You can blank out and all that stuff can happen. There are G forces that act. At G9 you feel you feel nine times the weight of your body…

Is Sonam your 3am buddy?See, I am an insomniac. So most people who know me are aware that I will be available to talk at 3 in the night.

Any particular role you’d really want to do?I’d love to play the Joker in Dark Knight. I don’t mind if I die after it.

You are one of the contenders for india’s most desirable man.Laughs. Yeah, put them in a boxing ring man… what contendersand all.